Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan (The Left) has asked the European Commission to account for gaps in Member States' response to the multi-country recalls of infant formula contaminated with the toxin cereulide, which began in early 2026. Her written parliamentary question, tabled on 29 June 2026, targets three areas: disease surveillance, clinical investigation, and the adequacy of the EU's food safety alert system.
Boylan asks whether all Member States have made cereulide-induced food poisoning a notifiable disease and whether frontline healthcare professionals, parents and caregivers have been properly notified and guided. She also inquires if Member States have adopted clinical pathways for testing and retrospective analysis of gastrointestinal illness data, and whether the Commission will publish a consolidated EU-wide epidemiological assessment based on national investigations.
On the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), Boylan notes that 21 of the 23 notifications related to the incident were classified as 'potentially serious', with two reclassified as 'serious' on 1 May 2026. She asks the Commission to explain the reasons for this escalation, the additional steps taken in response, and whether the existing RASFF classification framework is adequate for incidents involving a product that is the sole source of nutrition for vulnerable infants.
The question reflects concerns about consumer protection and public health surveillance, particularly for vulnerable groups. It also touches on the effectiveness of EU-level coordination in food safety incidents. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal its stance on strengthening surveillance and alert mechanisms.